'77 Westy Back Up Switch
- 77_Bus_Girl
- 100th MEMBER!!!
- Location: Beautiful BC
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'77 Westy Back Up Switch
I heard the back up switch can get all gummed up and sometimes that is the reason your reverse lights don't work. If I want to pull mine out to clean it up (or possibly replace it, I have a new one...) is there anything I need to be wary of? When I unscrew it will fluid pour out? When I put it back in, how tight do I need to torque it?
Love your bus.
77 Westy
77 Westy
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- IAC Addict!
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Try cleaning all the connections first. Use a solvent and tooth brush on the sender itself. Be careful with your eyes. The fuse holder may be junk as well. You can get in line fuse holders at auto parts stores, hardware stores, and marine stores. Marine stores will probably a better one for under the hood environments.
Good luck with it, Bill
Good luck with it, Bill
- Sluggo
- Wishin' I was Fishin'
- Location: Portland, Or.
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The Autozone by my house has fuse holders that a lot like the original.vdubyah73 wrote:Try cleaning all the connections first. Use a solvent and tooth brush on the sender itself. Be careful with your eyes. The fuse holder may be junk as well. You can get in line fuse holders at auto parts stores, hardware stores, and marine stores. Marine stores will probably a better one for under the hood environments.
Good luck with it, Bill
1977 Bus with Sunroof - "Lucky '77"
2000cc Type IV w/Dual Weber 36s,
Aircooled.net SVDA w/Compufire,
Redline Weber Fuel Pump,
Holley Regulator,
Half Ass Brush & Roller Rustoleum Paint Job,
Incomplete Custom Interior,
Dual Batteries,
Crunched Slider Door.
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- 77_Bus_Girl
- 100th MEMBER!!!
- Location: Beautiful BC
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
- Sluggo
- Wishin' I was Fishin'
- Location: Portland, Or.
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
Trace the wire into the engine compartment. Should be an inline fuse.77_Bus_Girl wrote:I've cleaned the connections, but where is the fuse holder?
1977 Bus with Sunroof - "Lucky '77"
2000cc Type IV w/Dual Weber 36s,
Aircooled.net SVDA w/Compufire,
Redline Weber Fuel Pump,
Holley Regulator,
Half Ass Brush & Roller Rustoleum Paint Job,
Incomplete Custom Interior,
Dual Batteries,
Crunched Slider Door.
------------------------------------------------------
- 77_Bus_Girl
- 100th MEMBER!!!
- Location: Beautiful BC
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
- Sluggo
- Wishin' I was Fishin'
- Location: Portland, Or.
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
I should have mentioned that. Chances are it's been disconnected though. I don't know why but 75% of the Buses I've come across with no reverse lights just need to plug it in. If you have a black wire coming from the negative (positive #15-edit) side of the coil and then towards the left side the engine that's probably it. Follow it through the rear wall of the engine compartment and out to the tranny. Somewhere along the side of the left battery tray (late buses) or at the fan housing under a clip (early buses), there should be a fuse. Looks like the fuse holder going to the heater fan.vdubyah73 wrote:Power for the back up lights comes from the coil.
Bill
1977 Bus with Sunroof - "Lucky '77"
2000cc Type IV w/Dual Weber 36s,
Aircooled.net SVDA w/Compufire,
Redline Weber Fuel Pump,
Holley Regulator,
Half Ass Brush & Roller Rustoleum Paint Job,
Incomplete Custom Interior,
Dual Batteries,
Crunched Slider Door.
------------------------------------------------------
- 77_Bus_Girl
- 100th MEMBER!!!
- Location: Beautiful BC
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
Ah! I do seem to remember a black (long-ish) wire on the left side of things... I'll check!
On another note - what does the coil do? I see it there all fancy and important looking, but... oh, since I'm troubleshooting this alone, will the reverse lights come on without actually turning over the engine? (yes-edit)
On another note - what does the coil do? I see it there all fancy and important looking, but... oh, since I'm troubleshooting this alone, will the reverse lights come on without actually turning over the engine? (yes-edit)
Love your bus.
77 Westy
77 Westy
- 77_Bus_Girl
- 100th MEMBER!!!
- Location: Beautiful BC
- Contact:
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- SlowLane
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Livermore, CA
- Status: Offline
Sometimes, and it depends on the vehicle, the insulation on the wire leading from the coil to the backup switch gets chafed where it goes through the firewall. It may ground out intermittently on the sheet metal, causing no end of hair-pulling on the part of the hapless owner, who can't figure out why his temperamental VW doesn't start or dies at whim.77_Bus_Girl wrote: It was disconnected. I wonder why they did that?
VW Girl, the coil is what makes the spark that ignites the fire. In my opinion, the most understandable diagram of how this works is in Muir's Idiot book (apologies to Colin if he's made his own drawing. I don't recall seeing one). If you don't have one, get one. It's worth having just for the illustrations, even if much of the advice is dated or suspect.
A hardened or missing firewall grommet tends to be the culprit here, or a misrouted wire passed between the engine seal and body sheet metal. Many years ago I helped a fellow figure out what was happening with his Beetle. It would start up fine and run perfectly until he put it in reverse. The wire from the backup switch to the backup lights was grounding to the frame, thereby shorting out the coil only when the car was put in reverse.
- 77_Bus_Girl
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Hmm.. interesting. Makes sense I guess - I'll take a look at it tomorrow and see what condition the wire was in at that point. I did drive him around a bit tonight and tried out my "new" back up lights (and hazards!) and all seems healthy! VWs are temperamental - you never know tomorrow!SlowLane wrote: A hardened or missing firewall grommet tends to be the culprit here, or a misrouted wire passed between the engine seal and body sheet metal.
Love your bus.
77 Westy
77 Westy
- Sluggo
- Wishin' I was Fishin'
- Location: Portland, Or.
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
The red 16 amp fuses.
1977 Bus with Sunroof - "Lucky '77"
2000cc Type IV w/Dual Weber 36s,
Aircooled.net SVDA w/Compufire,
Redline Weber Fuel Pump,
Holley Regulator,
Half Ass Brush & Roller Rustoleum Paint Job,
Incomplete Custom Interior,
Dual Batteries,
Crunched Slider Door.
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- Amskeptic
- IAC "Help Desk"
- Status: Offline
I have never understood why VW would call for a 16 amp fuse for the reverse lights. So I use an 8.
The heater blower inline fuse nearby, I use a 16.
Colin
The heater blower inline fuse nearby, I use a 16.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles